emtnester

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

What Would Clinton Say?

When is a text message to a friend more than just a text message? How far can you go before your words may be considered inappropriate or forward? Can you say, "bite me", telling them the idea they just presented stinks without them thinking something sexual? What would Bill Clinton say?

I only ask, because the natural thing for me is to say just about whatever comes to my mind. Which, I might say, has been somewhat "educated"/"infected" by reading a variety of blogs. One guy recently was kidding me about blowing him off for a lunch meeting in a text message and I said that I would never consider blowing him off but I might consider blowing him UP or simply blowing him. Which probably wasn't one of my finer comebacks, but he replied, "hee hee" and then we rescheduled.

Or, what if you act all professional and spell every word perfectly and use proper grammar in your text message? Will that appear stuffy or unfriendly? My kids tease me because I start most of my text messages with: "Good Morning, Laura". She thinks I write funny, whatever that means.

I do love the quickness and the ease text messaging is for communicating. But you really need to be careful when and wear you choose to do your text messaging. I have not mastered texting beneath a table while discussing some in-depth topic with the others at the table, something all three of my kids do effortlessly. I tried once and got busted, which is definitely taboo.

So, here are my rules: if the text is going to someone who pays me (Boss, client, etc), text messages should be short, to the point and never very clever or funny. To a colleague who's somewhere near my age, I try to just be myself, which is to say pretty much anything goes. Family gets cute text messages with pictures. My husband doesn't text too much yet, but maybe someday I will try text-sex with him. Perhaps I need to do more research on the topic. It seems there a wealth of knowledge in this area....maybe I could just copy someone else's fine texting abilities. Of course that's stupid, like when people read in magazines how to "talk dirty" over the telephone, but when they try out the words, it sounds so fake and corny!

And to the people who read my posts, I would text: "You make my day. Your comments fill me up like......(no, never mind!)......you could never imagine. I love you!"

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Winter Break is Over with 100% Chance of Tears

My daughter has left to go back to college today and the whole world is crying! Okay, maybe that's a little dramatic, but it is pouring rain so hard here in Phoenix that we may get our annual rainfall amount in one week! Flights were being cancelled left and right and we were unsure she would actually get to fly out this morning. Miraculously, her flight was one of the few that made it out with the rain and 40 mile-an-hour winds we are experiencing. And, I am sad.

Not sad like I wish she was staying here. I am glad she attends school back east. But, the house is already quiet. Dead quiet, actually. Except for the howling wind and rain outside my window.

Oh, and the marketing assignment that I spend working on for 40+ hours/week this past year, was cancelled yesterday, too. While it has been a creative and very interesting assignment for all of 2009, I am kind of relieved that its over. But, this adds to silence of my life. It seems no longer does anyone need my services......

There is my loving and wonderful husband. He is great, but his days at work are tedious at best and the most I get out of him about his day is a grunt and a mumble. "He has already given at work", and by that I mean, he expends all his happy, positive energy during the day to his clients and to his staff. There is nothing left for me when he comes home. I am his safe place....you know, where he can be a grouchy, tired bear. Where he can voice his doubts and his concerns. Maybe silence isn't so bad after all!

My dog, Wrigley has provided me with some humor today and I thank him for giving me this diversion. Dogs in Phoenix don't understand rain at all. He barks to go outside, looks up and the rainy sky and starts snapping at the rain. Then he proceeds to run around the yard like a madman, barking and prancing some medieval dog rain dance, I reckon. The best part....he smashes his face against the door to come back in, and he's now sopping wet. I bring him in, dry him off and then in about 60 minutes, we repeat this same procedure. Keeps me from thinking about updating my resume, from wondering how to brighten up my evening with Bill and from keeping the empty nest syndrome from rearing its ugly head once again.

Winter break is over. I should be full of promising ideas and thoughts for the future, but today, I cry like the skies in Phoenix.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

NFL Football and the Empty Nest Mom

It's 3:39 PM and I finally got myself off the couch long enough to come write a post. I find it somewhat ironic that I am sitting alone on my couch, watching NFL football games. Bill is at work for most of the day, Laura is visiting a friend who's in town in-between flights to elsewhere and Wrigley's sleeping in the hallway. It's not as if I am some huge fan of any of the teams playing today. (Cardinals lost yesterday). It's just I have nothing else to do.

Okay, that sounded pitiful, I'll admit. But, I am in "the empty nest Mom waiting mode". I am waiting for Bill to come home and say, "do you want to go workout?" I am waiting for a text for Laura saying, "my friend and I are coming up. Can U make lunch?" I am waiting for my sister to call. I am waiting for the familiar washing machine to beep, so that I can then transfer the damp clothes into the dryer. Instead of the crying game, Moms often play the waiting game. You know, fitting into everyone Else's' schedule. And sometimes, it's relaxing and feels good, but today the waiting seems anxious. As I sit and wait for the 11 minutes of actual football play, I feel lonely and maybe a little bit angry at this predicament I am in. Why don't I just run off and do a hike? Why didn't I run the half-marathon today, like I have so many years in the past? Why.......because I am an empty nest Mom. I wait for the text from my daughter because she is only home for about 5 more days and then I will not see her for months. I wait for Bill to come home so we can spend a few precious moments together to try and keep this marriage from derailing. I wait for my sister's call, because she always makes me feel better and happy. And so on and so forth......

So, I am rooting for the San Diego Chargers. And the waiting continues...........